Pune Environmental Crisis: NGT Admits Petition, PMC Report Reveals 13 Tree Species Locally Extinct
Pune Environmental Crisis: NGT Admits Petition, PMC Report Reveals 13 Tree Species Locally Extinct
Pune, September 16, 2025 – In a landmark development for sustainable development in Pune, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has admitted a petition by Adv. Krunnal Gharre, challenging the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the Tree Authority’s environmental practices. This pivotal moment follows a meticulous three-year investigation and the submission of over 1,500 pages of irrefutable documentary evidence obtained through RTI, highlighting major irregularities and a severe lack of transparency. The NGT has issued a notice to the PMC, demanding a response with concrete proof on the issues raised.
During the hearing, Adv. Gharre’s arguments highlighted significant inconsistencies in the PMC’s 2020-2025 Tree Census. It was contended that the census is fundamentally a flawed count and that labeling it as “compensatory plantation” is a blatant attempt to mislead citizens. The petitioner also argued that the increase in tree count is merely a result of the PMC’s 50% territorial expansion and not due to genuine plantation efforts. The Hon’ble Tribunal has now directed the PMC to provide documentary evidence of any compensatory plantations, including critical 6-monthly survival data.
The petition also raised serious concerns regarding the illegal tree-cutting permissions granted by the Tree Authority and the non existence of records for up to 3.5 lakh compensatory plantations. Questions are also raised on illegal No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) given to project proponents without completing the mandatory compensatory tree plantation.
The absurdity of the situation is further underscored by the PMC’s own Environmental Status Report (ESR). The report makes a ludicrous claim that only 2,838 trees above 50 years of age exist in Pune, implying that prior to 1975 Pune had just 2838 trees, a claim that puts Punes tree density that is worse than the Sahara Desert. This assertion not only defies common sense but also exposes the deep unreliability and questionable authenticity of the PMC’s data collection and record-keeping, serving as a blatant misrepresentation of the city’s rich natural history. More disturbingly, the same ESR acknowledges that 13 tree species have gone locally extinct in Pune—a clear sign of a major ecological disaster and failed environmental stewardship.
In a statement, Adv. Krunnal Gharre said, “This petition is more than a legal challenge; it’s a complete exposure of the PMC’s negligence. We had raised these irregularities and loopholes with not only the present PMC commissioner but the previous two as well. We had shared this data with the Tree Authority, tree officers seeking redressal, but if the administration just wants to turn a blind eye to such large-scale fraudulent practices, we have no choice. We are thankful to the Hon. Tribunal for having admitted this matter. Even now, I request the PMC and Tree Authority to just regulate the tree felling procedures as per law and do the missing plantations; that’s all we as citizens need.”
